BILL CONNORS — Theme To The Gaurdian (1975) APE (tracks+.cue) lossless

The blazingly explosive and technically precise legato guitarist in Return to Forever left after one release with RTF to pursue a solo career and much quieter, acoustic guitar path. This is the first in a trio of acoustic guitar releases Bill Connors put out in the 1970s on the famous ECM label. Theme to the Gaurdian features some truly excellent acoustic guitar work, with some unique compositions and playing styles. Connors dubs one track as a sort of complex and exotic chordal progression-based structure of strummed rhythms and/or a tapestry of three-finger rolling. He solos over this landscape of dreamy, moody, surreal, and frenetic design. The effect is a ghostly dance of melancholy angst and passionate wailings. John W. Patterson
Tracklist :
1    Theme To The Gaurdian    5:15
 Bill Connors
2    Childs Eyes    4:22
 Bill Connors
3    Song For A Crow    4:12
 Bill Connors
4    Sad Hero    4:26
 Bill Connors
5    Sea Song 5:02
 Glenn Cronkhite
6    Frantic Desire    2:52
 Bill Connors
7    Folk Song    6:33
 Bill Connors
8    My Favorite Fantasy    4:23
 Bill Connors
9    The Highest Mountain    3:25
 Bill Connors
Credits :
Guitar – Bill Connors

GIUFFRE | KONITZ | CONNORS | BLEY - IAI Festival (1978-1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although four musicians are listed for this date (Jimmy Giuffre, altoist Lee Konitz, guitarist Bill Connors and pianist Paul Bley), these five performances are actually a set of duets featuring Giuffre on tenor, clarinet, bass flute and soprano interacting with the other players. Three songs are duets with Konitz (there is also one apiece with Bley and Connors), including "Blues In the Closet," and these are the main reasons to acquire this disc. The CD reissue is an exact duplicate of the original LP, with just 37 minutes of music, but it is definitely worth hearing. This was the final release by Bley's Improvising Artists label. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Blues In The Closet 5:10
Alto Saxophone – Konitz
Tenor Saxophone – Giuffre
Written-By – Oscar Pettiford
2    The Sad Time 3:10
Written-By, Alto Saxophone – Konitz
Written-By, Bass Flute – Giuffre
3    Spanish Flames 8:50
Written-By, Clarinet – Giuffre
Written-By, Guitar – Connors
4    Enter, Ivory 11:10
Written-By, Piano – Bley
Written-By, Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Giuffre
5    From Then To Then 5:50
Written-By, Alto Saxophone – Konitz
Written-By, Tenor Saxophone – Giuffre

LEE KONITZ | PAUL BLEY | BILL CONNORS - Pyramid (1977-1992) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Reissued on CD by the Black Saint/Soul Note labels, this entry from Paul Bley's IAI label features fairly free playing from an unusual trio comprised of Lee Konitz (on alto and soprano), keyboardist Bley and Bill Connors on electric and acoustic guitars. Actually, due to the free nature of the pieces, the music is less exciting than one might hope. Everyone takes chances in their solos but several of the pieces wander on much too long. Overall this session does not reach the heights one might expect from these great players. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Pyramid 4:05
Bill Connors
2     Out There 10:45
Stefano Bollani / Lee Konitz
3     Talk to Me 2:47
Bill Connors
4     Tavia 4:32
Lee Konitz
5     Longer Than You Know 4:13
Paul Bley
6     Play Blue 9:22
Paul Bley
Credits :    
Acoustic Guitar – Bill Connors (tracks: 1, 2, 4)
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz (tracks: 1 to 3, 5)
Electric Guitar – Bill Connors (tracks: 3, 5, 6)
Electric Piano – Paul Bley (tracks: 1, 2, 5)
Piano [Acoustic] – Paul Bley (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 6)
Soprano Saxophone – Lee Konitz (tracks: 2, 4, 6)

BILL CONNORS — Of Mist and Melting (1977) APE (image+.cue), lossless

A beautiful session by the ever searching guitarist Bill Connors - showing part of the musical direction that Connors first took after leaving Chick Corea's first jazz-rock incarnation of the "Return To Forever" band (following the departure of vocalist Flora Purim - due to legal problems, her husband percussionist Airto Moreira, and saxophonist/flautist Joseph "Joe Farrell" Firrantello from the earlier latin-jazz "Return To Forever" band). The intense, lyrical, and introspective Bill Connors' originals on the "Of Mist And Melting" session continued to show his great talents as a composer - compositions which bassist Gary Peacock both praised and also used in his jazz composition classes and workshops following his return to Seattle, Washington after recording the session in December of 1977. Note: the piece "Melting" is also known under the title of "Spanish Flames" from live Bill Connors / James "Jimmy" Giuffre duet performances. Martin Totusek
Tracklist :
1 Melting 11:31
Bill Connors
2 Not Forgetting 6:30
Bill Connors
3 Face In The Water 3:25
Bill Connors
4 Aubade 9:36
Bill Connors
5 Café Vue 5:37
Bill Connors
6 Unending 7:33
Bill Connors
Credits:
Bass – Gary Peacock
Composed By – Bill Connors
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Guitar – Bill Connors
Saxophone – Jan Garbarek

STANLEY CLARKE - Stanley Clarke (1971-2007) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Stanley Clarke is the second album of jazz fusion bassist Stanley Clarke. This is a classic in the jazz rock fusion genre. Highly electric featuring an all-star band of Stanley Clarke, Jan Hammer, Bill Connors, and the incomparable Tony Williams. To listen to this album/cd at less than full volume does not do it justice.

No one ever accused Return to Forever of playing too few notes, and bass wonder Stanley Clarke commits a few similar sins of excess on his first solo album (see "Life Suite, Parts 1-4"). But, hey, this was 1975, and there's no denying Clarke's genius for sublime grooves and fancy fretwork. As funky as Larry Graham and more fun than Jaco Pastorius, he moves agilely between the convoluted pleasures of "Lopsy Lu" and the more highbrow charms of "Spanish Phases for String and Bass." The album is one of the best showcases for Clarke's mastery of both double bass and electric.

While some jazz purists will detest this LP for it's marriage of jazz improvisation and rock, the simple truth is, "Stanley Clarke" (both the LP and the man)are stunning and ingenious. The late, great Tony Williams is volcanic in his drumming, notice how he plays slightly behind the bass on "Lopsy Lu", or plays in circles around guitarist Bill Connors on Part IV of the "Life Suite"? There is not a wasted note here and listeners who are looking for 'light' or 'smooth' jazz are barking up the wrong tree! Clarke himself is an astounding bassist and takes on shades of Charles Mingus on "Phases for Strings and Bass" and all of the opening "Vulcan Princess". Electro-funk, hard rock and jazz rarely live on the same street these days, but this kind of adventurous music making(a treasure for us more discriminating music lovers)tells me that the 3 should visit each other more frequently. Stanley Clarke is the man! 

This was one of the best jams of it's time.If you ever heard Tony in the mid to late 60ies with miles you know how fast his foot work was. He takes it to a new high on this whole jam sesson. And you know how Stanley got down. anyone who cant understant this fusion all time great. Dont know Jazz. I am very very happy to have this calabaration of Rock&Jazz to my long list of unforgetable moments in Jazz history.

Tony Williams on drums, Jan Hammer on keyboards, Bill Conners on guitar and, of course, Stanley on bass(es). The pedigree of this line up rivals any, and when the Jazz Fusion style of this album is considered, this line up is as close to unbeatable as can be. Even relative unknown NoCal guitarist Bill Conners steps up with impressive performances. Tony's driving, if not frenetic style and Jan's melodic fills compliment Stanley's virtuoso. For fans of Jazz Fusion, or Stanley, this recording is a must. It will be tough to remove from your changer. As an aside I would like to mention that Stanley released an album previous to this as a solo artist. It is called "Stan Clarke: Children of Forever. Chick Corea, Pat Martino, Andy Bey, Dee Dee Bridgewater. Not Fusion, not pure jazz. Well worth checking out (especially "Bass Folk Song). 

I first heard "Stanley Clarke" way back in the mid seventies. I was in a rock band while I was in high school, and the bass player played the album for me in his basement. I had never heard a bass sound the way Clarke's did: more of a lead rather than rhythm or "bottom" instrument. My reaction was "Who is this dude?"

"Stanley Clarke" is full of fine performances: keyboardist Jan Hammer, guitar player Bill Connors, Clarke himself, and the guy who steals the show from everyone else, the legendary Tony Williams. Williams does amazing work throughout this album, but his solos on "Power" and "Life Suite" are simply incredible. In the second movement of "Life Suite", Williams' solo is otherworldly; the work he does on the high hat, bass drum and toms is beyond anything I have ever heard in my 50 years. Williams then moves on to cover what seems like every single piece of his drum kit: toms, cymbals, high hat, and snare-and he does it with such fluidity and speed that it seems like there is more than one person playing simultaneously. When the song drops in volume and tempo, Williams then does a sort of "background solo" with rim shots on his snare drum.

This is tremendous stuff. "Stanley Clarke" is perhaps not as polished as some of his later solo works such as "School Days" or "Journey to Love", but it is still a marvel to behold. The big thing is Tony Williams is on this album, and not the others. The only reason I subtract one star is Stanley somehow thought he could pull off what he thought would pass for singing on "Yesterday Princess". Maybe he got the idea from Tony, who also "sang" on his "Lifetime" albums. Bad idea for both of them...

More than 30 years hence "Stanley Clark" can still tingle my spine when I listen to "Life Suite"! As far as I'm concerned, that qualifies this album as a classic.

Stanley Clarke is Jazz Fusion Bass. There is not now, never was, and never will be an equivalent . Few artist achieve instant greatness with their solo debut album...Stanley did. The opening cut..."Vulcan Princess"...winds its way from a sassy rythmic dance, into a bold, fully ripe melody, fermenting into a beautifully eerie vocal ballad of love and longing. "Vulcan Princess" leads-sans pause- into a (now classic) string popping, synchopathic jaunt through the spacey landscape which is titled "Yesterday Princess". "YP creates musical slices of synthesizer, electric guitar and percussion which seem to fragment, then cascade back together, pulled sytematically into line by the ever present "syncho-Stanley- pops". The "Princess" tunes are wonderful introductions for the middle of the six tune album...they make us like Stanley, appreciate Stanley, recognize that Stanley is an extremely passionate and talented musical poet. Tunes 3 and 4, "Lopsy Lu" and "Power" creep up on you teasing with an underlying, pseudo-subtle flavor of the beast which lurks in the fantastic fingers of Monsieur Clarke. "Lopsy" is poignant. "Power" is, well... powerful. The next cut "Spanish Phases for Strings and Bass" is moody,seductive, occassionaly lilting, nearly passifying. The "SPfSaB" calms you, soothes you, puts you at just the right place to best handle the adrenelaine shot to the heart that concludes the album...The final cut "Life Suite" states simply that if life starts with a slap on the rear and a cry...it surely ends with a hard swift kick in the pants and a passionate scream. That's Stanley.... (web)

Tracklist:

1. Vulcan Princess (4:00)

2. Yesterday Princess (1:41)

3. Lopsy Lu (7:03)

4. Power (7:20)

5. Spanish Phases for Strings & Bass (6:26)

6. Life Suite

Part I - 1:51

Part II - 4:12

Part III - 1:03

Part IV - 6:41

Credits:

    Stanley Clarke - acoustic and electric basses, guitar, piano, vocals

    Jan Hammer - acoustic and electric pianos, organ, Moog synthesizer

    Bill Connors - acoustic and electric guitars

    Tony Williams - drums

    Airto Moreira - percussion

    Peter Gordon, Jon Faddis, James Buffington, Lew Soloff, Garnett Brown - brasses

    David Taylor - brasses, trombone

   David Nadien, Charles McCracken, Jesse Levy, Carol Buck, Beverly Lauridsen, Harry Cykman, Harold Kohon, Paul Gershman, Harry Lookofsky, Emanuel Green - string section

    Michael Gibbs (string & brass arrangement) 

BILL CONNORS — Double Up (1986-1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Guitarist Bill Connors has forged a successful career by mixing light, pop-oriented fusion cuts with more ambitious works that showcase his considerable solo abilities and compositional skills. This was a trio date with Connors (who doubled as producer) playing in an introspective vein, showing his funk and rock side, and then playing with more imagination and style. The playing time was quite short (35 minutes-plus), but there was enough of Connors' guitar work presented to satisfy his fans and fusion/pop/light jazz followers. Ron Wynn

BILL CONNORS — Assembler (1987-1994) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Jazz fusion guitar fans will recognize Connors as that blazingly explosive and technically precise legato guitarist in Return to Forever who left after one release to pursue a quieter acoustic guitar path. Connors has always been ranked in the upper echelons of fine fusion axe-men. Yet the guitar releases from Connors have come slowly and been severely underappreciated. After leaving Return to Forever, Connors released three excellent acoustic albums in the '70s, did some work with Stanley Clarke on Clarke's solo releases, and played with the Jan Garbarek Group. Connors then returned to releasing hard-hitting yet elegantly soulful electric fusion guitar albums in the '80s. They comprised a shorter, LP -length format, offering sonic snippets of Connors' electric visions. Comparisons can easily be made between this release's guitar stylings and those of Allan Holdsworth. This is not surprising, as Holdsworth has always sought that horn sound and flow of John Coltrane, and Connors, too, idolizes Coltrane. Convergent evolution perhaps? Connors has more of a rocking and visceral, edgy attack than Holdsworth. His legato phrasing is totally different, as well as his guitar voicings. Connors also has a lean funky, syncopated groove going on in his compositions; he demonstrates he is a guitarists' guitarist with evident passion for his instrument. Assembler marked the final electrified release of this fusion CD offering of the '80s. Assembler saw an initial 1987 release and then this 1994 re-release on the Evidence label. John W. Patterson  
Tracklist :
1 Crunchy  3:29
Bill Connors
2 Sea Coy 5:39
Bill Connors
3 Get It to Go 5:10
Bill Connors
4 Assembler 5:07
Bill Connors
5 Add Eleven 6:12
Bill Connors
6 Tell It to the Boss 7:02
Bill Connors
7 It Be FM 5:39
Bill Connors
Credits:

Guitar, Composed By – Bill Connors
Drums – Kim Plainfield
Electric Bass – Tom Kennedy

 

BILL CONNORS — Swimming with a Hole in My Body (1980) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist

1 Feet First 6:14

2 Wade 3:29

3 Sing And Swim 4:41

4 Frog Stroke 5:14

5 Surrender To The Water 10:44

6 Survive 2:11

7 With Strings Attached 2:54

8 Breath 7:28

Credits

Guitars, Composed By – Bill Connors

BILL CONNORS - Step It (1985-1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This session accented the funk/R&B and rock elements of Connors' arsenal; the eight selections were dominated both by drummer Dave Weckl's prominent backbeats and Connors' riffs and dashing licks, as well as catchy hooks, progressions, and patterns from bassist Tom Kennedy. Such songs as "A Pedal," "Brody," and the title cut weren't melodically sophisticated, but had a bass-heavy structure and quick, animated solos. Although the date is a bit old, its qualities prove a perfect fit on several new adult contemporary and lite-jazz outlets.

Another essential CD for Bill Connors (ex-Return To Forever) fans is "Step It!", which offers prime examples of fluid, legato guitar in a Coltrane-meets-Hendrix, fusion context. Not only is Connors a silky smooth lead player, but his rhythm work is particularly intricate and inspiring. Bassist Tom Kennedy and drummer Dave Weckl also stand out - Kennedy with his poly-rhythmic stylings and Weckl with his energy, feel and panache. Produced by guitarist Steve Khan (who guest solos on "Twinkle"), "Step It!" is a super companion disc to Double Up, and also a great introduction to the work of Connors for the uninitiated. Remarkable fusion from a pioneer who can still deliver excellence. 

Tracks Listing 

1. Lydia (3:35)

2. A Pedal (8:48)

3. Step It (4:33)

4. Cookies (4:46)

5. Brody (4:15)

6. Twinkle (5:58)

7. Titan (6:37)

8. Flickering Lights (5:07)

Total Time 78:12

Line-up / Musicians

  - Bill Connors / guitar

- Dave Weckl / drums

- Tom Kennedy / bass

- Steve Khan / guitar (6)